US 4,417,306 A · Apparatus for monitoring and storing utilizing a data processor

Abstract

Apparatus for monitoring and storing heart activity signals is disclosed as including a data processor illustratively in the form of a digital microprocessor. The monitoring and storing apparatus comprises a memory comprising first and second pluralities of storage locations, a circuit operating in a real time frame for sampling at a regular rate the patient's heart activity and for storing such sample signals in corresponding locations of said first plurality, an the data processor for processing the signals stored in the first plurality and for storing the processed signals in selected locations of said second plurality. The storage of the signals in the second plurality is performed in a second computer time frame and at a rate faster than the real time sampling rate. A sampling clock provides a sampling clock signal to the sampling circuit whereby the samples of the patient's heart activity are taken. A second computer clock provides computer clock signals to at least a portion of the data processor whereby the processing of the heart activity is effected in the relatively fast computer time frame. The data processor comprises a first portion or means that operates in response to the sample clock signal for evaluating the heart activity signals to determine the existence of a valid heartbeat and a second portion operating in the computer time frame for processing the detected heartbeat and in particular for determining the interval therebetween, which is evaluated to determine whether the heartbeat is occurring with a regular rhythm or not.

Claims39

Dependent claims

Apparatus for monitoring and comparing electrical signals indicative of a patient's heart activity, with criteria indicative of regular heart activity comprising a defined relationship between one and a subsequent R-R interval, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for measuring in real time a patient's heart activity and for providing a sequence of discrete R-R interval signals, each signal indicative of the time interval between successive peaks of the patient's heart activity;
(b) means coupled to said monitoring means forreceiving the R-R interval signals and for storing a continuously updated set of the R-R interval signals;
and
(c) evaluating means for examining selected of said updated set of R-R intervals with each other in accordance with said defined relationship to provide a manifestation indicative that the patient's heart activity is regular or irregular.

1 more element

Apparatus for comparing electrical signals indicative of a patient's heart activity, with a set of criteria of regular heart activity comprising a defined relationship between one and a subsequent R--R interval, and for storing the electrical signals indicative of regular heart activity, said apparatus comprising:

(a) memory means including first, second and third pluralities of storage locations;
(b) a real time sampling clock and a computer clock;
(c) means coupled to receive a patient's heart activity and responsive to said sampling clock for sampling at periodic intervals in real time the patient's heart activity signal, and for storing the sampled signals in respective locations of said first plurality, and
(d) data processing means comprising means responsive to the output of the said computer clock and for providing and storing a series of R--R interval signals in corresponding storage locations of said second plurality, each indicative of the time interval between the successive peaks of the patient's heart activity, and means for examining selected of said series of R--R interval signals as stored in said second plurality of storage locations with each other in accordance with said defined relationship to provide a manifestation indicative that the patient's heart signals are regular or irregular, and means responsive to said manifestation for storing regular heart signals in corresponding storage locations of said third plurality.

1 more element

Apparatus for monitoring over a prolonged monitoring period and evaluating electrical signals indicative of a patient's heart activity with a set of criteria indicative of the waveform of a QRS complex, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a real time sampling clock;
(b) a computer time clock;
(c) sampling means responsive to the output of said sampling clock for sampling the patient's heart activity signal to provide a sequence of sampled heart signals of a single QRS complex;
and
(d) data processing means comprising means responsive to said output of said sampling clock for comparing one sampled heart signal with a subsequent sampled heart signal of the same QRS complex to determine whether the relationship therebetween meets said criteria of a valid QRS complex waveform, and means responsive to the output of said computer time clock for further processing valid sampled heart signals.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for monitoring and storing utilizing a data processor

Life of this patent

Apparatus for monitoring and storing utilizing a data processor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39